Container for automotive fluids

Abstract

A lightweight blow-molded plastic container providing enhanced top loading capability. The container is rectangular in elevation and plan, and has four vertically extending post corners at the juncture of front, back and side walls. The front and back walls have label mounting areas defined by upper and lower label bumpers. The bumpers extend horizontally and terminate a spaced distance from the side walls, thus allowing the vertical corners of the container to extend uninterrupted and provide maximum post strength to the container. The configuration is capable of being made from a reduced amount of plastic, yet provides enhanced top loading capability as compared with like-sized known container configurations.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a container for packaging automotive fluids, said container having a rectangular front wall substantially parallel with a rectangular rear wall, said front wall being connected to said rear wall by an elongate right side wall and an elongate left side wall providing said container with a substantially rectangular plan and elevational configuration, said front, rear, right side and left side walls being connected by a base at one end of said container and a shoulder at a remote end of said container, a finish extending from said shoulder, said finish being centrally oriented with respect to said front and rear walls and being positioned closer to one of said side walls, the improvement comprising: an upper label bumper spaced from said shoulder and a lower label bumper spaced from said base formed on each of said front and rear walls to define label mounting areas on said front and rear walls, said label mounting areas being substantially planar, each of said upper and lower label bumpers extending substantially horizontally and having opposite ends, each of said opposite ends terminating a spaced distance from said side walls such that each juncture of said front and rear walls with said side walls are uninterrupted by said upper and lower label bumpers, each of said junctures of said front and rear walls with said side walls being a corner having a curved shape in transverse cross-section and forming a continuous post structure extending vertically from said base to said shoulder without interruptions; and   said shoulder being formed by a front section connecting between said finish and said front wall, a rear section connecting between said finish and said rear wall, a right side section connecting between said finish and said right side wall, and a left side section connecting between said finish and said left side wall, one of said side sections of said shoulder extending a further distance across said container to said finish and forming a top section of said shoulder, said top section being inwardly concave and connecting to said front and rear sections of said shoulder by gentle curves providing said shoulder with a continuous inwardly curved crown without sharp corners so that a load placed on the container is evenly supported by said entire shoulder thereby resisting unwanted deformation.   
     
     
       2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said container is manufactured from less than about 48 grams of HDPE and has a minimum of top loading capability of about 50 pounds.